Here I am
by RunningfromDarkness
Summary: She was no longer mine.  I was no longer hers.  Katniss, my girl on fire, was lost forever.  One-shot.


**Normally I write cheerful, happy endings for Katniss and Gale, but this idea hit me, and I just had to write it down. Takes place just after Mockingjay. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: All dialogue taken from books, as well as characters belong to Suzanne Collins.**

"That was the only thing I had going for me. Taking care of your family. Shoot straight, okay?" I said, then left the room, leaving my Mockingjay behind. Forever.

She was no longer mine. I was no longer hers. Our love no longer existed, the bond, the friendship, having slipped right through my fingers. I let her go; I missed my chance to be the one she'd choose. And there's no going back. No going back to change things, to do what I should have done. No. It's over. It's done. And there's not what thing I can do about it.

Katniss was more than just a hunting partner. She was my best friend, the person I knew would always watch my back, the person I depended on, trusted, loved. It took us a while to build up that trust, that bond, but eventually, I think she knew me better than I knew myself. Out there in the woods, I was truly happy. Truly at ease, just hunting with her by my side. We'd laugh, talk, sit and relax. Those were my "good old days", the days that I so long for now.

I would give anything just to have one more day with her. Just to have one more hunting day, one more day with her by my side. But those days are gone. Vanished into the past, never to be lived again.

Katniss was everything. She was the one who brought a smile to my face, who made it seem like everything would be okay. For a while, she was just a friend, just a hunting partner, till she became something more. Till my breath would catch, my heart speed up every time I caught sight of her long brown hair, her soft eyes, her cheerful smile. She was amazing. She was beautiful. She was _mine._

But the Capitol changed all that. Took her away, made her into someone else. And the second I saw her first kiss Peeta, I knew I had lost her. I knew she was gone, and that I would never get her back. She had fallen in love with someone else, or so I thought. Then, I realized, maybe it was all an act, maybe it she was just doing it for the cameras. Maybe she really did love me. But the minute those bombs went off, the minute Prim was consumed by flames, I knew she would no longer.

Katniss was gone. She had moved on, left me, chosen someone else. And I didn't blame her. For her, Peeta was her dandelion in spring, her ray of sunshine. And what was I? I was a fire, a monster, consumed by rage and hatred. That was how she saw me. And I knew, that no matter what I did, I would never change her mind.

Katniss had drifted away. She would never be mine, never be mine to hold, to love, to cherish. But no matter what happened, I would always love her, till the very end of time. And so, I wanted her to be happy. I wanted her to have a reason to smile, to laugh. And I knew I couldn't give her that. Only one person could truly make her happy, and that person would never be me. So, I let her go. I let her move on, let her leave, let her find someone else.

Because I know right now, she's happier than she's ever been. Maybe even happier than she was in the woods. She deserves to have what she's always dreamed of, and she's finally gotten that. She has a family, kids, a loving home.

Here I am, in District 2. Rebuilding, repairing, and sharing what I know. Many girls have seeked me out, but I've turned every one away. For me, there will only be one girl that I will ever love. So for right now, I'll just keep on living. Keep on dreaming. Keep on wondering if that love will ever come true. Katniss is gone, but the love I have for her will exist till time and beyond. She is _my _dandelion, _my_ ray of sunshine, though I will never be hers.

Katniss, I will always love you, always think of you, always wait for you. Our love may never happen, never be a reality, but I'll keep on dreaming. I'll keep on hoping, keep on waiting. Because I could never love anyone but you. I could never find another girl that's just as beautiful, just as amazing, just as wonderful as you.

For now, I'll live in District 2. I'll make friends, I'll live my life, but I'll never stop remembering. I'll never let go of those memories, never truly move on. I may not have gotten my fairytale ending, but the girl I love has, so I'll just remain content knowing that she's happy, that she's safe, that she's loved. Katniss, you are, and will always be, my girl on fire.

**So, what do you think? Make sure to review, and thanks so much for reading!**


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